It's Time For My Learnings.....

For this week's learnings...I learned about the definition of computers, types & sub-types of computers.




COMPUTER

A machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions. It has the ability to store and execute lists of instructions called programs makes it extremely versatile. IT is a device that accepts information (in the form of digitalized data) and manipulates it for some result based on a program or sequence of instructions on how the data is to be processed.

TYPES OF COMPUTERS:
Microcomputer

Workstation

Minicomputer

Mainframe computer

Supercomputer

Wearable computer

MICROCOMPUTERS

Is a computer with a microprocessor as its central processing unit. Another general characteristic of these computers is that they occupy physically small amounts of space when compared to mainframe and minicomputers.

Classified in Two:
Personal Computers
A small, single-user computer based on a microprocessor. In addition to the microprocessor, a personal computer has a keyboard for entering data, a monitor for displaying information, and a storage device for saving data.

Portable Computers
Is a computer that is designed to be moved from one place to another. Portable computers, by their nature, are microcomputers. Early portables were unkindly referred to as "luggables," referring to their great size and weight.

Types of Portable Computers

Laptop (Notebook) Computers
-Is a small mobile computer, typically weighing 3 to 12 pounds (1.4 to 5.4 kg), although older laptops may weigh more.

-Laptops usually run on a single main battery or from an external AC/DC adapter that charges the battery while also supplying power to the computer itself even in the event of a power failure. This very powerful main battery should not be confused with the much smaller battery nearly all computers use to run the real-time clock and backup BIOS configuration into the CMOS memory when the computer is without power.Laptops contain components that are similar to their desktop counterparts and perform the same functions, but are miniaturized and optimized for mobile use and efficient power consumption, although typically less powerful for the same price.

PDA(Personal Digital Assistant) Computers
-Is a handheld computer, also known as small or palmtop computers. Newer PDAs also have both color screens and audio capabilities, enabling them to be used as mobile phones (smartphones), web browsers, or portable media players. Many PDAs can access the Internet, intranets or extranets via Wi-Fi, or Wireless Wide-Area Networks (WWANs). Many PDAs employ touch screen technology.

Sub-Notebook Computers
-Is a small and lightweight portable computer, with most of the features of a standard laptop computer but smaller. The term is often applied to systems that run full versions of desktop operating systems such as Windows or Linux, rather than specialized software such as Windows CE, Palm OS or Internet Tablet OS. The term "ultra-mobile PC" (UMPC) is also frequently used to refer to such machines, although this also refers to a small form-factor tablet PC platform.

Tablet PC
- Is a notebook or slate-shaped mobile computer, equipped with a touchscreen or graphics tablet/screen hybrid technology which allows the user to operate the computer with a stylus or digital pen, or a fingertip, instead of a keyboard or mouse.

The form factor offers a more mobile way to interact with a computer. Tablet PCs are often used where normal notebooks are impractical or unwieldy, or do not provide the needed functionality.

WORKSTATION

A powerful, single-user computer. A workstation is like a personal computer, but it has a more powerful microprocessor and a higher-quality monitor.

MINICOMPUTERS

A multi-user computer capable of supporting from 10 to hundreds of users simultaneously.

Is a largely obsolete term for a class of multi-user computers that lies in the middle range of the computing spectrum, in between the largest multi-user systems (mainframe computers) and the smallest single-user systems (microcomputers or personal computers).

MAINFRAME COMPUTER

A powerful multi-user computer capable of supporting many hundreds or thousands of users simultaneously. Computers used mainly by large organizations for critical applications, typically bulk data processing such as census, industry and consumer statistics, ERP, and financial transaction processing.

SUPERCOMPUTER

An extremely fast computer that can perform hundreds of millions of instructions per second. It is a computer that is at the front line of processing capacity, particularly speed of calculation (at the time of its introduction). The term "Super Computing" was first used by New York World newspapers in 1929 to refer to large custom-built tabulators that IBM had made for Columbia University.

WEARABLE COMPUTER

These are computers that are worn on the body. They have been applied to areas such as behavioral modeling, health monitoring systems, information technologies and media development. Wearable computers are especially useful for applications that require computational support while the user's hands, voice, eyes or attention are actively engaged with the physical environment.

My Learning of the Week

This week we discuss about the types of computers. What is computer?

DEFINITION OF COMPUTER

An electronic device that helps people perform different task. It is used for processing and storage of information.
A programmable machine that inputs, outputs data.
An electronic device that stores, retrieves, and processes data, and can be programmed with instructions.
IN GENERAL , a device that uses digital technology to process and manipulate information.

TYPES OF COMPUTERS

microcomputers
workstation
minicomputers
mainframe computers
supercomputers
wearable computers


MICROCOMPUTERS

The term microcomputer is generally synonymous with personal computers, or a computer that depends on a MICROPROCESSOR.
TWO CLASSIFICATION S of MICROCOMPUTERS

1. Personal computer
2. Portable computer


Personal computer

a small relatively inexpensive computer design for an individual user. In price personal computers range anywhere from a few hundred to thousand dollars. All are based from MICROPROCESSOR TECHNOLOGY that enables manufacturer to put entire CPU in a chip.
Business uses personal computers for word processing, accounting, desktop publishing, and for running spreadsheet and data base management applications.
At home, the most popular use of personal computers is for playing computer games.

Portable computers

A computer that is designed to be moved from one place to another.
Portable computers, by their nature, are microcomputers.
Types of portable computers

Laptop or notebook computers
Sub-notebook computers
Personal digital assistant computers
Tablet computers


Laptop or notebook computers

Have similar computing power to personal computers, but are much LIGHTER AND PORTABLE.
Have a removable and chargeable battery so that the users does not always require a mains electricity supply for its use.


Sub-notebook computers

Slightly lighter and smaller than a full-sized notebook computer.
Have a smaller keyboard and screen but are otherwise equivalent to notebook computers.

Personal Digital Assistant computers

HANDHELD COMPUTERS
Originally designed as personal organizers, but became much more VERSATILE over the years.
Also known as POCKET COMPUTERS or PALMTOP COMPUTERS.
USES:
Calculation
Clock and calendar
Playing computer games
Accessing the internet
Sending and receiving E-mails
Video recording
Typewriting
Word processing
Use as address book
Spreadsheet
Radio
Stereo
Recording survey responses
Global positioning system
Newer PDAs also have both colored screen and audio capabilities, enabling them to be used as MOBILE PHONES (SMARTPHONES), web browser, portable media players.
One of the most significant PDA characteristics the presence of touch screens
Many PDA can access the internet, intranet or extranet via Wi-Fi, or wireless Wide-area Networks (WWANs)

Tablet PC
Slated-shape computers
Its touch screen or digitizing tablet technology allows the users to operate the computer with STYLUS or digital pen, or a fingertip, instead of keyboard or mouse.
The computer is linked to a network using a wireless or wired link.
The form factor offers a more mobile way to interact with a computer.
Its is often used where normal notebooks impractical or unwieldy, or do not provide the needed functionality.

WORKSTATION

A desktop computer that has a more powerful processor, additional memory and enhanced capabilities for performing a special group of tasks, such as 3D GRAPHICS OR GAME DEVELOPMENT.

MINICOMPUTERS

MIDSIZED COMPUTERS.
In size and power, minicomputers lie between workstations and mainframe computers.
In past decades, the distinction between large minicomputers and small mainframes has blurred, however, as has the distinction between small and minicomputers and workstation.
Minicomputer is a MULTIPROCESSING SYSTEM capable of supporting from 4 to about 200 USERS simultaneously.

MAINFRAME COMPUTERS

Very large and expensive computer.
Capable of supporting hundreds or even thousands of USERS simultaneously.
Mainframe are just below supercomputers
In some ways, mainframes are more powerful than supercomputers because they support more simultaneous programs.
But supercomputers can EXECUTE a single program FASTER than a mainframe.
The distinction between small mainframes and minicomputers is vague, depending really on how the manufacturer wants to market its machines

SUPERCOMPUTERS

THE FASTEST TYPE of computer
very expensive and are employed for specialized applications that require immense amount of mathematical calculations
other uses:
animated graphics
fluid dynamic calculations
nuclear energy research
petroleum explorations
weather forecasting
The chief difference between a supercomputer and mainframe is that supercomputer channels all its power into executing a few programs as fast as possible, whereas a mainframe uses its power to execute many programs concurrently.

WEARABLE COMPUTERS

Latest trend in computing.
Essentially, common computer applications (e-mail, database, multimedia, calendar/scheduler) are integrated into watches cell phones, visors and even clothing!
But now, wearable computers are not yet released in the world market. ♥♥♥

Extraordinary Week... Extraordinary Learnings...

This week had been extraordinary for me... with the two different aspects of Technology and Livelihood Education... computer applications and home economics.

Different Types of Computer

There used to be two fundamentally different types of computers: analog and digital. (Hybrid computers combine elements of both types.) In our everyday use, the term "computer" refers to digital computers, with a typical example being the common personal computer (PC). Digital computers are essentially simple machines that can understand and manipulate only series of elementary symbols: 0's and 1's (yes or no, true or false). The real power of a digital computer lies in the blinding speed with which it can check and manipulate these symbols, outperforming any human being. In computer lingo a bit (binary digit) is the term one uses to represent a 0 or a 1. A nibble is a series of four bits, a byte is a series of eight bits, and word is used to represent multiple bytes. The trick is to arrange these series of 0's and 1's in such a manner that they represent whatever needs to be symbolized. For example, one could assign these 0's and 1's to represent a special code to instruct the machine what to do next and with what data. These designated sequences of 0's and 1's are called computer instructions. It is these instructions, when arranged in a structured sequence, i.e., a computer program, that distinguish the digital computer from a fast calculator. The sequence in which these instructions are executed can be altered depending on the outcome of the actions of previous instructions within the machine or input from the outside world. Instructions arrange and shuffle the bits, nibbles, and bytes in such a manner that the computer can perform complex calculations and then, minutes later ,help us with word processing or enable us to record variables from a monitoring device we use during anesthesia.

Today's computers are of three main types: mainframes, minicomputers, and microcomputers. They differ in size, speed of operation, amount of data that can be stored, and the number of simultaneous users. Mainframes allow many simultaneous users, handle typically huge databases, and can perform complex mathematical operations. We find them mainly in industry, research, and university computing centers. Minicomputers can support a smaller number of simultaneous users, typically 50 to 100. These machines are primarily used by larger businesses to handle accounting, billing, and inventory records.

The microcomputer is essentially a personal or desktop computer. These desktop PCs, which dwarf the capabilities of the huge early computers, are used extensively in the home (entertainment, communication, personal databases, and spreadsheets) and in all types of businesses (word processing, accounting, inventory control, research) .

Personal or micro

Computers for personal use come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny PDAs (personal digital assistant) to hefty PC (personal computer) towers. More specialized models are announced each week - trip planners, expense account pads, language translators...

Hand-held (HPC)	PDA	Tablet PC	Laptop/Notebook
Desktop	Tower	Workstation

When talking about PC computers, most people probably think of the desktop type, which are designed to sit on your desk. (Bet you figured that one out!) The tower and the smaller mini-tower style cases have become popular as people started needing more room for extra drives inside. Repairmen certainly appreciate the roominess inside for all the cables and circuit boards ... and their knuckles.

A workstation is part of a computer network and generally would be expected to have more than a regular desktop PC of most everything, like memory, storage space, and speed.

The market for the smallest PCs is expanding rapidly. Software is becoming available for the small types of PC like the palmtop (PPC) and handheld (HPC). This new software is based on new operating systems like Windows CE (for Consumer Electronics). You may find simplified versions of the major applications you use. One big advantage for the newer programs is the ability to link the small computers to your home or work computer and coordinate the data. So you can carry a tiny computer like a PalmPilot around to enter new phone numbers and appointments and those great ideas you just had. Then later you can move this information to your main computer.

With a Tablet PC you use an electronic stylus to write on the screen, just like with a pen and paper, only your words are in digital ink. The Tablet PC saves your work just like you wrote it (as a picture), or you can let the Hand Recognition (HR) software turn your chicken-scratches into regular text.

Main Frame

The main frame is the workhorse of the business world. A main frame is the heart of a network of computers or terminals which allows hundreds of people to work at the same time on the same data. It requires a special environment - cold and dry.

Supercomputers

The supercomputer is the top of the heap in power and expense. These are used for jobs that take massive amounts of calculating, like weather forecasting, engineering design and testing, serious decryption, economic forecasting, etc.

The first Cray supercomputer was introduced in 1976

Minicomputer

The minicomputer has become less important since the PC has gotten so powerful on its own. In fact, the ordinary new PC is much more powerful than minicomputers used to be. Originally this size was developed to handle specific tasks, like engineering and CAD calculations, that tended to tie up the main frame.

The League of Cooking

Cooking is the process of preparing food by applying heat, selecting, measuring and combining of ingredients in an ordered procedure for producing safe and edible food. The process encompasses a vast range of methods, tools and combinations of ingredients to alter the flavor or digestibility of food. Factors affecting the final outcome include the variability of ingredients, ambient conditions, tools, and the skill of the individual doing the actual cooking.

The diversity of cooking worldwide is a reflection of the myriad nutritional, aesthetic, agricultural, economic, cultural, social and religious considerations that impact upon it.

Applying heat to a food usually, though not always, chemically transforms it, thus changing its flavor, texture, consistency, appearance, and nutritional properties. Other methods of cooking that involve the boiling of liquid in a receptacle have been practiced at least since the 10th millennium BC, with the introduction of pottery

Well, as weeks passed, the learnings are getting tougher and tougher... but still... it is not in ones perfection... it is in what we have learned...

It's Time for Learnings of the Week

On this week's lessons, I have learned many things about movie making. Though we have a hard time in doing our movie,we still enjoy each others company.

In making the movie,I found out that there are many elements in the Windows Movie Maker that could help you in making the a movie.

The elements of Windows Movie Maker: Collections, clips, projects, and movies

Understanding collections and clips

Collections are libraries that contain the different video, audio, and pictures that you've imported into or captured in Windows Movie Maker 2. You can use and reuse items from the collections for the movies you create. When you import the digital media files into Windows Movie Maker, the different video, audio, and pictures appear as clips within one or more collection folders in Windows Movie Maker.

To import existing digital media files

	On the File menu, click Import into Collections.
	In File name, enter the path and name of the file you want to import, and then click Import.
	(Optional) If you want the video files to be separated into smaller clips, select the Create clips for video files check box. A new collection folder is created for each video file you import into Windows Movie Maker. Any audio clips or still images appear in the original collection that was selected when you imported the audio and still images.

Video files in Windows Explorer and Windows Movie Maker.



Audio files in Windows Explorer and Windows Movie Maker.




Photos in Windows Explorer and Windows Movie Maker.

Understanding projects and source files

After you import audio, video, or pictures into Windows Movie Maker, you can add the individual clips in the different collection folders to the storyboard/timeline. The following figures show clips as they appear in the storyboard and timeline views respectively for the same project.

Video clips in storyboard view.

Video and audio clips in storyboard view.

Video and audio clips in time line view.

The video, audio, and image clips in Windows Movie Maker projects are only references to the files that you've captured or imported into Windows Movie Maker. When you edit video or audio in a collection or on the storyboard/timeline in Windows Movie Maker, you do not change the original source video or audio file. Editing the clips on the storyboard/timeline or in a collection only determines how and when the audio, video, and still images (as well as any titles, video transitions, or video effects) are displayed in that particular project.

All content on the storyboard/timeline — including audio, video, still images, and video transitions, video effects, or titles — becomes a project. Ultimately, a Windows Movie Maker project file is simply a file that contains information about what content is used in the project, as well as the timing information about how and when to display the contents on the storyboard/timeline in the final saved movie.

To save a project

1.	On the File menu, click Save Project.

2. In the File name box, type the file name, and then click Save.

The resulting Windows Movie Maker project file is stored on your computer.

Saving your project as a movie

After you've saved a project, you can then save the project as a movie file, such as into a .wmv or .avi file, by using the Save Movie Wizard. When you do this, all of the files on the storyboard/timeline are encoded into a single digital media video file. You can then share this video file with others, and they can watch and enjoy it in a media player, such as Windows Media Player.

To save a movie

1.	On the File menu, click Save Movie File.

2.	In the Enter a file name for your saved movie box, type a name for your movie.
3.	In the Choose a place to save your movie box, do one of the following: • Choose the path and folder name from the drop-down list of available places. • Click Browse to choose a new place that's not already in the drop-down list. • To create a new folder, click Make New Folder in the Browse For File dialog box, and then type a name for the new folder.
4.	On the Movie Setting page, do one of the following: • To use the default movie setting, click Best quality for playback on my computer (recommended). The specific setting details, such as the file type, bit rate, display size, aspect ratio, and frames per second displayed in the video, are shown in Setting details. • To use a different movie setting, click Show more choices, and then choose another movie setting from the list.
5.	If you want to watch your movie after completing the wizard, select the Play movie when I click Finish check box.
6.	After the movie is saved, click Finish.

The resulting movie is saved on your computer.

You or your audience can then play the movie in a media player, such as Windows Media Player.













So, that's all for my learnings of the week.

My learnings of the Week

With this week learnings, I found out that making movie using Windows Movie Maker is very interesting and very enjoyable but it is a difficult task.

Layout

The layout consists of a storyboard view and a timeline view, collections for organizing imported video, and a preview screen. When in Storyboard view, the video project appears as a film strip showing each scene in clips. The storyboard/timeline consists of one 'Video' (with accompanying 'Audio' bar), one 'Music/Audio' bar, and one 'Titles/Credits' bar. In each bar, clips can be added for editing (e.g., a .WAV music file will belong on the 'Music/Audio' bar). Still images can also be imported into the timeline and "stretched" to any desired number of frames. The Video and Music/Audio bars can be "cut" to any number of short segments, which will play together seamlessly, but the individual segments are isolated editing-wise, so that for example, the music volume can be lowered for just a few seconds while someone is speaking.

Editing and output

After capture, any clip can be dragged and dropped anywhere on the timeline. Once on the timeline, clips can be duplicated or split, and any of the split sections deleted or copied using the standard Windows keyboard shortcuts or clicked and dragged to to another position. Right-clicking any clip brings up the range of editing options. An AutoMovie feature offers predefined editing styles (titles, effects and transitions) for quickly creating movies.

Like all non-linear editing systems, the original camera file on the hard drive is not modified in any way; the current project file is really just a list of instructions for re-recording a final output video file from the original file. Thus, several different versions of the same video can be simultaneously made from the original camera footage.

Windows Movie Maker can only export video in Windows Media formats or DV AVI. It includes some predefined profiles, however, users can create custom profiles which utilize newer codecs using Windows Media Profile Editor (part of Windows Media Encoder 9 Series) and copy those profiles to the %ProgramFiles%\Movie Maker\Shared\Profiles folder for them to be used in Windows Movie Maker.

Earlier versions of Windows Movie Maker did not support direct burning of DVDs. The project had to be first saved as an AVI file, and a separate authoring program used to produce and burn the DVD. (Limited but adequate authoring software was often bundled free with DVD drives). The Windows XP Media Center Edition version, bundled the Sonic DVD Burning engine, licensed from Sonic Solutions to author and burn the DVD. The Windows Vista version of Windows Movie Maker passes the video project to Windows DVD Maker to burn DVD-Video discs.

Video can be exported back to the video camera if supported by the camera. Movie Maker also allows users to publish a finished video on video hosting websites.

Effects and transitions

Versions 2.x included in Windows XP includes 60 transitions, 37 effects, 34 title and 9 credits animations. The Windows Vista version includes a different set of transitions, effects and title/credits animations while dropping a few older ones. There are in all 49 effects and 63 transitions. They are applied by using a drag and drop interface from the effects or transitions folders. Titles and credits can be added as stand alone titles or overlaying them on the clip by adding them onto the selected clip. Titles range from static (non-animated) titles to fly in, fading, news banner, or spinning newspaper animations. Due to the flexible interface, programming custom effects and other content is possible for version 2.0 and higher using XML. The Windows Vista version suppors Direct3D-based effects. Microsoft also provides SDK documentation for custom effects and transitions. At the Movie Maker forums, users can get assistance on creating and adding custom effects and transitions.

The best way to learn what Movie Maker can do is to dive in. Start by going to Microsoft Update. Click Scan for updates, and then click Windows XP in the Microsoft Update pane. Look for Windows Movie Maker 2, click the Add button, click Review and install upgrades, and then click the Install Now button.

To start Movie Maker 2:

•	Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Movie Maker.

Capturing and editing your home movies doesn't require expensive equipment. The Movie Maker 2 software is free to anyone who has Windows XP. If you happen to have a digital video camera, that's great—you can load your movies directly into Movie Maker using your IEEE 1394 port. My video camera is a four-year old analog Hi-8 camera though. To capture my home movies, I bought a $50 video capture card from my local electronics store, popped open my computer case, and installed the card in my Windows XP-based desktop. The next time I booted, Windows XP automatically detected the hardware and loaded the drivers.

Note: Your video camera and computer probably have microphones built into them. However, an inexpensive external microphone will probably sound much better and will greatly improve your narration.

I connected the camera to my video capture card just like I connect it to my television. After starting Movie Maker 2, I clicked Capture from video device and answered the Video Capture Wizard's questions. When I got to the Capture Video page of the wizard, I fast forwarded to the start of the clip and pushed Play on my video camera.

After I saw that the video was displaying correctly on my computer monitor, I clicked the Start Capture button in Movie Maker. At the end of the clip, I clicked Stop Capture, as shown in Figure 1, and then clicked Finish.

Figure 1

Movie Maker saves the video and automatically adds it to your collection.

You can have fun with Movie Maker 2 even if you don't have a video camera. If you just want to experiment with video, you can use a Web cam and a microphone to capture audio and video. If you take pictures with a digital camera, you can load those still photos into Movie Maker to create a slideshow. For more information about how to do this, see my column on Using Windows Movie Maker 2 to Present Still Photos.

Check Out the New User Interface

The first thing you'll notice about Movie Maker 2 is that the steps to make a video are listed in the left pane of the window: Capture Video, Edit Movie, and Finish Movie. Underneath these steps are a handful of choices that give you complete control over your production, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2

It's so straightforward that you can make an entire movie without ever opening a menu. In comparison, Movie Maker 1 did not have as friendly or as easy-to-use interface. A friendly interface is important, because the harder it is to create movies, the more I'll procrastinate.

Edit Video with AutoMovie

I have a stack of video tapes that I've been meaning to do something with for a long time, but I just never get around to it. I'd like to send the highlights to my friends, but I know that editing the videos into something presentable will take me a long time. So the tapes have been gathering dust on my shelf.

The AutoMovie feature in Movie Maker 2 solves this problem. AutoMovie assembles your video clips and adds transitions and video effects that fit the style you choose. To use AutoMovie, start by importing at least 30 seconds of video into your collection. After you've done that, you're only a few clicks away from watching your movie.

1.	Under Edit Movie, click Make an AutoMovie, and select the style that fits your collection: Flip and Slide, Highlights Movie, Music Video, Old Movie, or Sports Highlights.
2.	Optionally, you can add a title and music.
3.	Click Done.

AutoMovie will spend a few minutes processing your video by adding transitions and effects consistent with the style you chose.

After you create an AutoMovie, you can save it as a movie using the Save Movie Wizard or you can make further edits to your movie, just as you would when creating a project on your own in Movie Maker.

Add Cool Video Effects

Movie Maker 2's video effects won't let you add aliens or dinosaurs to your video, but you can brighten those clips that were taken in a dark room. To work with video effects:

1.	Under Edit Movie, click View video effects.
2.	Drag the effect to the video clip in the timeline below to apply the effect. The results are shown in the Contents pane.

Take a look at my Sammy the Cat Sample Video to see how I improved my footage with Movie Maker effects. The sample video is available in a low bandwidth version, Sammy the Cat Sample Video for Low Bandwidth, and a high bandwidth version, Sammy the Cat Sample Video for High Bandwidth.

I added two Brightness, Increase effects to a dark clip of my cat, Sammy, playing with a Christmas tree ornament in my sample video. I wish I had zoomed in closer to him in that clip, but I fixed it with Movie Maker by adding three Ease In effects. On the clip of Sammy chasing his own tail, I used the Speed Up video effect to double the speed. This has two benefits: it reduces the length of the clip (that piece of tape entertained my cat for about ten minutes), and it adds humor to see him spinning really fast.

Those video effects are all very practical, but there are more creative video effects too. You can add grain or a watercolor effect if you're feeling artistic. To simulate an old movie, you can add the Film Age, Grayscale, or Sepia Tone effects. Ever have a kid hold the camera upside down or sideways? You can use the various Rotate effects to straighten that video out. In total, there are 30 effects that can help you strengthen the impact of your movies.

Choose the Right Transitions

Transitions are important for creating a polished video because without them a video seems harsh and disconnected. The transition plays before one clip ends and while the other clip starts to play.

Movie Maker 1 supported transitions by allowing you to overlap two video clips. When the video played back, the first clip nicely faded into the second. Movie Maker 2 still supports fading between video clips and adds 59 other transitions. These transitions range from the subtle to the flashy and can really set a mood for a movie. I tried out all the cartoonish transitions, got that out of my system, and now find myself relying on the most subtle ones: Fade, Dissolve, and the various Wipe transitions.

Low key transitions give your movies a more professional look. The dramatic ones can be annoying for your audience unless they really fit your movie or you use them selectively, just where you need the excitement.

Enhance Your Movie with Titles and Credits

One of the most exciting new features of Movie Maker 2 is the large number of creative choices for titles and credits. You could make titles with Movie Maker 1—but you had to use Microsoft Paint to create a title screen and then import that picture into Movie Maker. Movie Maker 1 didn't offer any way to add a title to a video clip, so you were forced to rely on low-tech methods like cardboard and a marker.

With Movie Maker 2, in the Movie tasks pane, under Edit Movie, click Make titles or credits, select where in the movie you want the title, pick the animation style, and type the text.

I'd be thrilled if Movie Maker simply let me add titles and credits as plain text, but you actually have 43 animation styles to choose from. One of my favorites is the News Video, Inset title animation that shrinks the video into the corner and adds a banner across the bottom of the screen. The Sports Scoreboard title slides in from the top and then quickly disappears.

Credits are a great way to give your video a professional finish. They're handled very similarly to titles, but the credit animation styles allow for more than two lines of text. Two of the new credit choices resemble the way television shows use credits: the Video Left and Video Top squeeze the video into a portion of the screen and use the extra space for scrolling credits. You also have several styles of traditional scrolling credits to choose from.

Enjoy Video Highlights

Many of us tape home movies and never watch them. After all, capturing a perfect moment requires hours of recording, but few people are willing to watch an entire taped softball game—just to see you hit one home run. In a few minutes using Windows Movie Maker 2, you can assemble your video highlights into something entertaining enough for the music video generation to enjoy.

The process of capturing and importing the video is entertaining too. I really enjoyed looking through the home movies I've taped over the years. Now that I can watch the highlights of those videos on my computer, my family and I will enjoy those movies much more often.

Required equipments
•	MiniDV digital video camera
•	MiniDV tapes
•	Computer that supports a digital video connection
•	Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2, which includes Movie Maker 2.1
•	i.Link port (also known as FireWire or IEEE 1394) on your computer
Recommended accessories for camera:
•	Memory card
•	Tripod
•	Wide-angle lens
•	Spare battery
•	On-camera light
Recommended accessories for computer:
•	External USB (Universal Serial Bus) hard disk drive
•	DVD burner with writeable DVD media
•	Headphones

With all these learning I absorbed I can now create my own movie with the use of Microsoft Movie Maker.